Mikel Arteta hails 'magical' Eberechi Eze after Arsenal star sinks Leverkusen

[p]Arteta's side pounded [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bayer-leverkusen/4jcj2zMd/"]Leverkusen[/a] right from the start at the Emirates Stadium, and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/eze-eberechi/Stf4BYFn/"]Eze[/a] ensured their dominance was rewarded with a blistering strike from the edge of the area late in the first half.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rice-declan/zkQ8Cm6n/"]Declan Rice[/a]'s clinical finish after the interval sealed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/arsenal/hA1Zm19f/"]Arsenal[/a]'s 3-1 aggregate victory, setting up a quarter-final clash with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sporting-cp/tljXuHBC/"]Sporting Lisbon[/a].[/p][p]Eze's first Champions League goal extended his recent revival after a disappointing start to his first season with the Gunners following his summer move from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/crystal-palace/AovF1Mia/"]Crystal Palace[/a].[/p][p]Arteta has selected Eze more often recently in the absence of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/odegaard-martin/ID32TGhp/"]Martin Odegaard[/a], and the England midfielder has seized his opportunity.[/p][p][b]"We started the game so well, and we were a threat from every angle. Their keeper kept them in the game, and we needed a magical moment from Ebs to give us the lead,"[/b] Arteta said.[/p][p][b]"Ebs is playing every three days; he has rhythm, has an understanding with the players, and this is why he is here.[/b][/p][p][b]"He is building an understanding with all of them, and when you start to make key moments in games that lifts your confidence."[/b][/p][image alt="Eze celebrates with Gyokeres" id="f7eda35f-89aa-4bba-baf0-3e564dc348fc" credit-line="Reuters" guid="4ed89de4-8c4c-4bdc-a7a3-a1f09548413d" original-width="1599" original-height="1144" /][p]Rice was also influential for Arsenal as they completely out-classed Leverkusen.[/p][p]The England midfielder, who bagged his first Champions League goal this season, drew praise from Arteta for pushing Arsenal to new heights.[/p][h2]'The passion is remarkable'[/h2][p][b]"In the second half, Declan's action gave us the opportunity to win the game,"[/b] he said.[/p][p][b]"It's the Champions League. When you have four or five chances and if you don't put the ball in the back of the net, it gets frustrating.[/b][/p][p]"It was an incredible moment from Declan to finish the game. We want to try and get more chances like that for people because we have got a lot of players that can do that.[/p][p][b]"Declan was immense, him and the whole team - the manner they go into every ball and the passion they show is remarkable."[/b][/p][p]Arsenal have won nine and drawn one of their 10 games in the Champions League this season.[/p][embed guid="5c9dba78-2822-4fa7-800d-98c4a20da843" url="https://x.com/Arsenal/status/2034039847753814334" social-type="twitter" /][p]They will be favoured to dispatch Sporting in the last eight after routing the Portuguese club 5-1 in the Champions League group stage last season.[/p][p]Brushing aside Leverkusen was ideal preparation for Arsenal's bid to win a first trophy in six years against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-city/Wtn9Stg0/"]Manchester City[/a] in the League Cup final at Wembley on Sunday.[/p][p][b]Quadruple-chasing Arsenal, whose last silverware came in the 2020 FA Cup, sit nine points clear of second-placed City at the top of the Premier League as they chase a first English title in 22 years.[/b][/p][p]They are also set to meet second-tier [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/southampton/WdKOwxDM/"]Southampton[/a] in the FA Cup quarter-finals later in April.[/p][p]It is shaping up to be an incredible campaign for Arsenal, who have never won the Champions League, losing their only final appearance against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/barcelona/SKbpVP5K/"]Barcelona[/a] in 2006.[/p][p][b]"We had four or five situations where we should have scored a third, but overall we fully deserved to win and be in the quarter-finals,"[/b] said Arteta, who was able to replace several key players in the second half to keep them fresh.[/p][p][b]"It was good to rotate and get those players in, but I had certain players that needed to come off because of the amount of time they are playing,"[/b] he said.[/p][p][b]"That's why they came off, nothing to do with Sunday."[/b][/p]